Wrench for screw caps for jars and like containers



Dec. 13, 1932. E LAYTON 1,890,908

WRENCH FOR SCREW C APS FOR JARS AND LIKE CONTAINERS Filed Dec. 10, 1931 vwantoz Patented Dec. 13, 1932.

EFNH'E'ED TATEZS PATENT OFFICE,

HORACE E. LAYTON, OF FRANKLIN, PENNSYLVANIA WRENCH FOR SCREW CAPS FOR JARS AND LIKE CONTAINERS Application filed December 10, 1931.

ihe object of this invention is, to provide a wrench for use in the removal of the screw caps or closure members of containers employing the screw type of closure; it more especially relates to a wrench wherein a portion of one of its jaws is adjustable in such manner that the wrench is thereby adapted for use on tops of differing sizes ranging from that used on a Mason jar down to about the smallest size of top used on bottles and other containers having a capacity of a few ounces. The construction whereby I am enabled to attain said object is clearly shown in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is an edge view of the adjacent edge of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a face or side view of the preferred form of my improved wrench.

Fig. 3 is a side face View of a modified form, and Fig. 4 is a view of the inner face of the adjacent jaw of Fig. 8.

The construction shown in said drawing 1s as follows, reference being first made to the preferred form shown in Figs. 2 and 3:

Two levers 1 and 2 are employed, which are hinged together at one end in any suitable manner as indicated at 3. Adjacent said hinged end said levers are curved arcuately outwardly in such away that their inner opposing, gripping faces define therebetween, a substantially elliptically shaped opening; the free ends 4 and 5 of said levers are formed into handles for the manipulation of the wrench. For the purpose of adapting my improved wrench for use on caps of various sizes, I provide one of the jaws with a relatively adjustable section as 6 in Fig. 2, or 7 in Fig 3. Referring to Fig. 2, the adjustable section 6 is carried by jaw 2, one end of said section being hinged at 8 to said jaw 2, at a point in juxtaposition to the hinge point 3; from said hinge point 8, said section 6 extends along the inner face of jaw 1 and is so arranged that the inner face of said section, where in its normal position, forms a portion of the inner face of said jaw 1, although on this form of wrench there is a relative movement between the contacting faces of said jaw 1 and section 6 when the jaws of the Serial No. 580,105.

wrench are opened and closed; said relative movement, however, is merely indicidental to the mounting of section 6 upon the j aw 2 instead of upon said jaw 1, and in no way modifies the mode of operation of said section 6, which is termed the adjustable section.

An adj usting screw 9 extends through jaw 1, and its inner point bears upon the adjacent face of section 6 so as to adapt it to actuate said section into the relative position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. When section 6 is in contact with jaw 1 as shownin full lines in Fig. 2, the wrench may be applied to large sized screw caps, such as are used on Mason canning jars; when section 6 is in the position shown in dotted lines in said Fig. 2, it is applicable to caps of small diameter, as in dicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2; adjustment-s may be made with reference to caps of any intermediate diameters.

A retriever spring 11 may be employed as shown in Fig. 3 for the purpose of maintaining contact between section 6 and the point of screw 9, and to automatically return said section to its normal position when said screw is retracted to its outmost position.

The construction shown in Fig. 3 does not diflfer materially from that shown in Fig. 2; the difi'ercnce such as it is, being found in the fact that the relatively movable jaw or adjustable section 7 is mounted at the handle end of jaw 2 at the hinge point 8, andthe adjusting screw 10 is also mounted in the same jaw; a retriever spring is shown at 11.

The inner, grippingfaces of the jaws are preferably roughened as indicated at 12 or in any suitablemanner, in conformity to the usual practice in implements of this class.

Fig. 4 is an inner face or edge View of the adjacent lower jaw of Fig. 3.

I claim the following:

1. A wrench for the removal of screw caps for various containers consisting, in combination, of a pair of primary jaw-levershinged together at one end and which are curved respectively divergently outwardly adjacent said end so that an opening is formed therebetween, suitable for the reception of and engagement by said levers, of a screw cap-of substantially large size, a secondary jaw sec- 100 tion arranged in relation to one of said primary jaws so that the inner face of said secondary j aw-section when in its normal posi tion coincides with and forms a continuation of the supplementary gripping face of the primary aws, to which said secondary jaw is so related, and an adjusting screw carried by said related primary jaw with its point projecting therethrough and into actuative contact with said secondary jaw whereby said secondary jaw may be adjusted inwardly for actuative engagement of a screw cap of substantially smaller size than said first men tioned cap.

2. A wrench for the removal of screw caps for various containers consisting, in combination, of a pair of primary jaw-levers hinged together at one end and which are curved respectively divergently outwardly adjacent said end so that an opening is formed therebetween, suitable for the reception of and engagement by said levers, of a screw cap of substantially large size, a secondary jaw-secs tion arranged in relation to one of said primary jaws so that the inner face of said sec ondary jaw-section when in its normal position coincides with and forms a continuation of the supplementary gripping face of the primary jaws to which said secondary jaw is so related, an adjusting screw carried by said related primary jaw with its point projecting therethrough and into actuative contact with said secondary jaw whereby said secondary jaw may be adjusted inwardly for actuative engagement of a screw cap of substantially smaller size than said first men tioned cap, and a retriever spring for said secondary jaw section whereby it is actuated to its position of coincidence with its related primary jaw upon retraction of said screw.

3. A wrench for use in the removal of screw caps for Various containers consisting in combination of a pair of primary jaw-levers permanently hinged together at one end, said jaws being curved respectively, divergently outwardly adjacent said end so that gripping faces of said primary jaws describe a substantially elliptically shaped opening there between for engagement and actuation of a screw cap of substantially large size, a secondary jaw section arranged in such relation to one of said primary jaws that the inner, gripping face of said secondary section when in its normal position forms a portion, continuation of, and coincides with the permanent portion of the gripping face of the primary jaw with which it cooperates, said section being hinged at one of its ends to one of said jaws, the other end of said secondary section being free for adjustment into the open ing between said jaws, and an adjusting screw carried by and extending through the primary jaw to which said section is supplementary, whereby said section is adjustable inwardly for the purpose set forth; the gripping action and engagement of said wrench being effected by the manual gripping of said levers.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

HORACE E, LAYTON. 

